Apparatus for illuminating the cavity of the mouth



July 30, 1957 A. THUM 2,800,896

APPARATUS FOR ILLUMINATING THE CAVITY OF THE MOUTH Filed Deo. 10, 1954lNYENTDR WML @@M APPARATUS FOR ILLUMINATING THE CAVITY F THE MOUTH AdolfTimm, Weiler-im Allgau, Germany Appiication December 10, 1954, SerialNo. 474,5i91

Claims priority, application Germany December 12, 1953 6 Claims. (Cl.12S-13) The present invention relates to an apparatus for illuminatingthe cavityI of the mouth in a manner required particularly by dentists,throat or ear specialists and also for other purposes, and which can befitted directly in .the mouth ofthe patient. The-invention differs fromthe known .apparatus of this type, which usean illuminating elementlying exposed on a carrierv adapted to be lixed on the head, forexample, the'forehead or the cheek of the patient, in that it isconstructed as a preferably separable combination of a source of director indirect light with a hollow gag or arresting device, preferablylofwedgeshape, which is at least partly translucent andsurrounds-the-source'of light, `preferably on all sides. Thisconstruction offers a number of advantages, for example, such anapparatus, especially if it isof wedge shape, enables'the patient tokeep rhis mouth open without straining thezmuscles, because the jaw orteeth is or are entirely supported by the apparatus in the desired openpositionso that'the muscles can practically relax. Particularlypreparatory work is facilitated because such an apparatus, given theproper shape and'position, can 4also hold down the tongue andv insertedwads of cotton -Wool. The extent to whichy the mouth is opened isadjustable by' pushing the-wedgey more or less deeply intothe lmouthcavity. By vmounting the source of light in a hollow arresting'device,Vthe source of light requires no additional space in the mouth cavity,so that it does not obstruct theexamination'or'the work of the doctor.

Furthermore, the source yof light` being-covered in on all sides by thecasing of the gag, there is nodanger of the source of .light coming intocontact with the mucous membrane of the. mouth sov that all danger ofburning is excluded. The casing also prevents the heat radiated by thesource yof light from being .perceptible 'or uncomfortable.

The .prevention of Contactbetweenthe'source of' light and the patientsimplifies the sterilization ofztheapparatus because only the'casing ofthe source of light, which is practically insensitive, needs now to besterilized. This can be carried out easily and reliably on account ofthe shape which must be as simple and smooth as ypossible to fulll itspurpose. The hollow casing, which is preferably made of some suitablesyntheticl material, can be rendered germ-free by anysterilization up to206 C.

ln an advantageous form of construction. the casing is provided with anapertureon the; narrow side directed outwards near the entrance to themouth, which aperture is closed by a plate carrying the source of light,its holder and so forth, so thatfthefcasing and thefsource of light caneasily be separated, which makes'the Sterilisation still easier.Horeover, such casings can, for example, be made in wedge shapeV to titthe mouth and are then simple and'cheap to produce and can be kept instock; Vmoreover, a number of such casings can be simultaneouslysterilized, thus'saving a considerable amount of time.

The construction of "the apparatus vas a closed, at least partlytranslucent gag or arresting device also possesses the advantage thatthe entire cavity of the mouth Y2,800,896 Patented July 30, 1957 2 isexposed to view and illuminated without any shadow and without theoperator being in any way dazzled.

The apparatus according to the invention, in addition, has apsychological effect because the patient, whois usually somewhat nervouswhen undergoing treatment by a doctor or dentist, is reassured orpaciiied when a smooth, not at all complicated device is merely slippedinto his mouth like a piece of cake, Without any complicatedmanipulations or preparations being necessary. This psychological effectisparticularly apparent in the case of children who are also veryinterested and diverted by the illuminated, translucent mouth wedge.

Other details will be gathered from the forms of constructionhereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. l is a perspective viewV showing' an illuminating apparatusaccording tothe invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an end View of the apparatus, actually in use;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 .is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of another form of thedevice;

Fig. 6 is an end View;

Fig. 7 a top plan View in actual use, and

Fig. 8 a cross-section on line 8 8 of Fig. 5.

In Figs. 1 to 4 a mouthwedge 1 of ordinary shapev to be inserted betweenthe jaws, forms, according to the invention, a carrier for a source oflight 2.

The carrier for the source of light is composed chiefly of some suitablesynthetic material, which should preferably be unbreakable and capableof being sterilised. lt may however consist, at least partly, of metal.

When using the mouth wedge 1 as carrier for a source of light 2 thelatter may be in the form of a small incandescent bulb of spherical,tubular-.or other shape, or of a strip lamp, with .or without mirroredsurface, with or without rellector and with or without a built-on orfused-on convex lens.

A connection sleeve 3 forms the socket for a contact plug similar to atelephone plug, by means of which the supply of current for the sourceof light 2 located within the carrier is effected. In this form ofconstruction the carrier for the source of light is at least partlytransparent or translucent, for example its wall surface on thetongue-side or the throat-side is made entirely or partly of anunbreakable transparent material, such as, for example, safety glass orthe like. Also in this form of construction the sources of light may beof any suitable shape, if desired with mirrored surfaceand fused-on lensor the like. Furthermore, one or other of the inner surfaces of thesource of .light carrier, according to the desired direction of thelight concentration, can be mirror-coated, or the translucent `wall ofthe carrier can be constructed as a convex lens or made of a materialintensifying the illuminating power or worked to produce this effect.Thus, for example, a portion of the wall or the entire wall of thecarrier for the source of light can be made uorescent and have anafter-glow effect by suitable treatment, with the result that theconsumption of current can be reduced to the quantity necessary forcharging and a greenish light, which is good for the eyes, can be used.

Moreover, the source of light is preferably operated with low-voltagecurrent. With suitable safety measures and insulation ordinary mainscurrent can also be used. Fluorescent tubes with gas filling or the likecan then also be used. Finally, any suitable batteries, including thelatest types of miniature dry batteries can ne used.

Figs. 5 to 8 show a modied form of construction of a source of lightcarrier in the form of a mouth wedge 4 which, for the purposes of theinvention, is adapted in a special mannen The primary feature of thismouth wedge'4 is that it is constructed as a wedge-shaped casing .Y

Y'op'enat its Wider end, the aperture being closed by an inserted coverplate 5 of insulating material or metal, to which a source of light6-together-with a holderv7 are connected, the holder beingeither-soldered;on to or if'constructed as a Vhollow-screwscrewed intothe plate 5 which also carries current connecting contacts 8,

for example in the form of terminal screws. The smaller end of the mouthwedge 4 isabruptly reduced in height Vas at 4b and the terminal smallerend is rounded as at i fitting and removal ofthe cover plate,for`example, for t sterilising the casing. The plate 5 need only be pressedinto the casing and is held by the force-tit of the two sides 'or theupper and lower edges or by engagement in suitable recesses in thecasing walls or behind protrusions formedthereon or by some other means.

Furthermore, the Wedge surfaces serving for supporting i the rows ofteeth can be gripping surfaces by unevenness 9 in suitable arrangementand form, so that the mouth wedge sits firmly. This unevenness 9 may beformed on a suitably shaped gripping sleeve (friction sleeve) of rubberor synthetic material, which sleeve is slipped on to the casing of themouth wedge, leaving f ree the transparent side. thereof. The upper andlower Wedge surfaces of the source of light carrier are extended beyondthe cover plate 5 and bent over at the ends to form lip rests 11 whichprevent the lips from coming into contact with the cover plate 5, whichshould be set back a distance of about 3 mms. in the wedge.

To prevent the mouth prop introduced between Ythe jaws of the patientfrom slipping sideways into the interior of the cavity of the mouth, arim 4d is formed on the upper and lower longitudinal edge of the casingat the side facing the cheek of the patient, which rim 4a projectssubstantially perpendicularly of the upper and lower surface of thecasing. As shown in Fig. 6, this rim 4a constitutes an abutmentpfor theteeth and prevents the wedge-shaped mouthY prop from slipping in lateraldirection i. e., towards the left in Fig. 6.

In Figs. 6 and 8 the mouth wedge, serving as carrier of the source oflight bulged, is on both sides as in the case of the ordinary mouthwedges illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, but its surface 12 adjacent thetongue is concaved so that it fits better and is not in the way. Y

Furthermore, a reector is shown in Fig. 8 fitted in the mouth wedge 4 onthe side facing the cheeks.

From the above detailed'description of the invention, it is believedthat the construction will at once be apparent, and while there areherein shown and described preferred embodiments of the invention, it isnevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.i

I claim:

1. Apparatus for illuminating the cavity of the'mouth, comprising athin-walled hollow casing made of rigid, translucent plastic material inthe form Vof a wedges-shaped mouth prop adapted to be introduced betweenthe jaws of a patient, said casing being made in one-piece and having anopening only at the wider end thereof, the smaller end being abruptlyreduced in height and rounded to escape longer teeth at the back ofthejaws, and a light source carrier extending from the wider end of saidwedge-shaped casing into the free hollow space thereof and spaced fromthe Walls of the casing.Y

2. Apparatus for illuminating the cavity of the mou comprising athin-walled hollow casing made of rigid translucent plastic material inthe form of a wedge-shaped dental mouth prop adapted to be introducedbetween the jaws of a patient, said casing being made in onepiece andopen at the Wider end thereof, a cover plate for the wider end of thewedge-shaped casing and supported therein, and a light source attachedlto said cover plate and projecting into the hollow interior of thecasing at a distance from the walls thereof.

3. Apparatus for illuminating the cavity of the mouth comprising athin-walled hollow casing made of `rigid translucent plastic material inthe form of a wedge-shaped dental mouth prop adapted to be introducedbetween the The source of light arranged within the mouth wedge 'i canalso be adjustable, that is can be swung laterally or moved up and downto enable the light to be Ydirected in a certain direction or on tocertain points. Fig. 5shows the arrangement of a reflector 13 solderedon to or bent out from or stamped with the front cover plate 5 anddirected towards the cheeks in the wedge-shaped illuminating casing.This reflector is in the form of a truncated cone open towards the pointof ,the wedge like a megaphone and having a glass-clear transparentwedge point shape. By this arrangement the apparatus can be used as anilluminating wedge for specially lighting the throat cavity as requiredby throat and nose specialists. Moreover, a slit or ventilation slot ispreferably provided in the cover plate 5 for cooling the mouth wedge andthis slot may at the same time serve as a guide for the verticaladjustment of the source of light. AAs guide. slot, it will suice if oneor two ofthe four bent-over sides of the cover plate 5 is or are about1/2 mm. distant from the wedge casing, that is do not bear against thecasing, whereas the other edges, for example those at the top andbottom, beartghtly and `wedge against the casing,VV

jaws of a patient, said casing being made in one-piece and open at theWider end thereof, a cover plate for the wider end of the Wedge-shapedcasing and supported therein, and a light source attached to said coverplate and projecting into the hollow interior of the casing at adistance from Vthe walls thereof in Ythe range of the wider end thereofand extensions on the upper and lower walls of the casing protrudingbeyond the cover plate and forming lip rests bent outwardly from theplane of the walls.

4.V Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hollow casing has aconcave surface on the side directed towards the tongue and an oppositeconvex surface directed towards the cheek. f

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a rim on theupper and lower longitudinal edge of the casing at the side whichV isadjacent'the cheek of the patient, said rim projecting substantiallyperpendicularly of the upper and lower casing surface and adapted to beengaged by the teeth of the patient for preventing the apparatus fromsliding off laterally within the cavity of the mouth when insertedbetween the jaws of the patient.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a rim on theupper and lower longitudinal edge of the casing at the side which isadjacent the cheek of the patient, said rim projecting substantiallyperpendicularly of the upper and lower casing surface and adapted to beengaged by theteeth of the patient for preventing the apparatus fromsliding olf laterally within the cavity of the mouth when insertedbetween the jaws of the patient.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,026,065Y Rohr .I. Dec. 31, 1935 2,247,258 Shepard June 24, 19412,528,458 Stone Oct. 31, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES mar- N

